Chandigarh, January 3
Punjab Vidhan Sabha Speaker Kultar Singh Sandhawan on Friday said that the Centre’s river interlinking project needs a comprehensive review and thorough investigation.
Describing the move as an intervention in natural systems, Sandhavan cautioned that such projects could adversely affect agricultural productivity and disrupt monsoon patterns. The speaker said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi had recently laid the foundation stone of the Ken-Betwa river linking project in Khajuraho, Madhya Pradesh.
The speaker said, “Although the central government has described this initiative as an objective to redistribute water resources in drought-prone areas, scientific research shows that such interventions can significantly alter natural hydrological systems.” He expressed concern that large-scale hydrological changes could disrupt established monsoon patterns and potentially threaten agricultural sustainability.
Sandhavan stressed the critical need to implement advanced water treatment and purification programs while advocating prioritizing water conservation and recycling initiatives.
It may be mentioned that Prime Minister Modi launched the country’s first river interlinking project, the Ken-Betwa River, under the National Vision Plan to provide irrigation facilities and drinking water facilities to various districts of Madhya Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh. The foundation stone of the national project was also laid. –News-Patiala
